Despite tepid ratings (and that’s a generous assessment), HBO has decided to renew its two new shows, “Veep” and “Girls.” “Veep,” Armando Iannucci political satire, is something of a no-brainer: It’s inarguably hilarious, and weirdly accurate. For instance, the vetting process that went into the VP choosing what flavor of yogurt to have in Sunday’s episode is something that’d actually happen. I don’t mean to offend you if you’re mentally handicapped, but if you don’t like “Veep,” you’re probably a little fuzzy in the head. I hope those Short Bus rides aren’t too hard on your scoliosis.

But why “Girls”? I mean, besides the fact that more copy has been devoted to the show in the last three weeks than probably any other new show this season. Seriously: Every jackass on the Internet (including myself) has written an extensive think piece on what’s great or wrong about “Girls.” The show may only have one million viewers so far, but it’s a VERY vocal one million viewers, which means HBO’s name is being written down on some blog 4,785,342 times a week. That’s great for the brand.

Personally, I think it’s a solid show that’s getting even better, but I won’t get into it too much because you guys — and by you guys, I mean the Warming Glow commentarati — can get a little goon-y, start throwing around the “C” word, and then I get a little red in the face and I feel an embolism start to come on. But hey: A lot of folks that were hesitant at first are starting to come around, even Uproxx Godfather Cajun Boy. What’s perhaps most surprising is Jimmy Kimmel’s opinion of the show:

Lena Dunham’s response was my take as well: Jimmy Kimmel loves “Girls”? What? The former host of “The Man Show”? He thinks it’s one of the best shows ever? Of course, Kimmel’s old fan base is just the type that would throw around the “C” word, so maybe some of you should give it a fair shot instead of pissing and moaning about how unsightly you think Lena Dunham is. Or, here’s some nudie photos of Sofia Vergara. You can think about her while you’re watching Lena Dunham have sex. Go to town.

Meh, if you say so. I think Girls is set in a universe just as far out as that of Fringe. There is nothing redeeming or likable about the characters, and they’re insipid and annoying. Watching a gaggle of insular and narcissistic sociopaths is just not my cup of tea. The praise for this show is well over the top, I think mainly because it this is the sterotypical way critics assume young, well off white girls in Brooklyn act, even though it has nary a basis in reality.

I hope it’s satirical, but if it’s not it may literally be the worst show I’ve ever seen. And even if it is, it’s still pretty shitty. (The whole Lonely Island guy thing in the 3rd episode was fucking horrendous. LOL HEY LOOK ITS A GUY THAT’LL FUCK ALLISON WILLIAMS SUPER HARD UNLIKE HER BOYFRIEND WHO IS LIKE, BASICALLY A GIRL WITH A MICROPENIS MADE OF LAVENDER.)

For any one complaining about the lack of minorities on “Girls”, just wait until the eventual one-off storyline where one of the girls gets with a black dude, tells the other girls how exciting and exotic it is, only to go back to dating hipster-ish white dudes. It’s going to be like the Sarah Palin/Glen Rice story adapted to the small screen.

I was fairly sure I was out after the first episode of Girls, but left my DVR to record episode 2, which was noticeably better. It’s still no award winner for me, but it’s not a bad way to kill a half hour at this point. In fact, it’s worth noting that if it were an hour long I probably would have gotten rid of it. So, short doses.

I have watched all three episodes. Thought I would give it a shot since there was so much buzz about it. Meh. Just seems kinda boring and I really don’t give a shit about any of the characters. Kinda key when it’s a character driven show that the audience actually cares about the characters on screen.

I don’t know, maybe it’s a little NYC-centric for people, but I’m one of the gooniest goons around, and the C-word is probably my favorite word and I love that show. People love to politicize it, but I just find the dialog to be enjoyably sharp. And I have to give Veep credit for introducing “gold-plated shitgibbon” into my vocabulary. That’s priceless.

From Vulture’s interview with Allison WIlliams:
How did you prepare for the masturbation scene?
Uhhh, [Nervously laughs.], I talked to Lena about it. It was just, I read it and, um, we just, yeah — I mean, I shot the scene with Jorma, so I knew what came first, so that was really nice to shoot it in sequence. And so I could remember what I felt like after that scene with him and then, yeah. I’m sort of fascinated that it’s being made into a thing, because I just looked at it as a part of my job. There were scenes that were more difficult for me to do than that one, and it’s interesting to me that people are fixating on it. I mean, little Sally Draper in Mad Men did it before me, so listen — I’m just entering her territory.

I liked Girls thus far, but Sunday night is a brutal universe to compete in. There are four shows I liked better: GOT, Borgias, Mad Men, and Veep. Yeah, those are all great shows, but being in fifth place is never great.

When i watch GIRLS I can’t help but feel like the male characters in the show seem really one dimensional and cartoonish, and that this must be how girls feel when they watch a show centered around a group of bro-dawgs where the female characters are all awkward stereotypes. That said, I think the show is getting better with each episode too. Plus I’m going to keep watching it anyway because it’s on between Veep and GOT. All right later ya buncha cunts.

Haven’t made my mind up about Girls. I kind of feel like I’m not meant to be watching it cause it’s, well, for girls. I feel guilty, like I’m snooping in someones diary. Maybe the douchiness of the male characters adds to the feeling of alienation. But I think Lena is great in it, mainly because she’s so natural in the role. And I really do know girls who act like her, which is maybe why it comes across as pretty authentic to me, or at least more so than other shows. I guess they’ve gone the Ninja Turtle route of giving the four girls quite different, contrasting personalities. For better or worse, I think that Hannah and the Williams chick are much more realistic depictions of the 20-something women I know than anything else on TV. I can probably relate them, in some respects, more than anything on Entourage. Don’t like the sheltered one or the British chick. Will keep cringingly watching though!